Mito Plum Blossom Festival (Kairakuen)

Frequently asked questions

When is the Mito Plum Blossom Festival 2027?

As of 2026-10-11 the official site (Mito Tourism & Convention Association) has not announced the dates of the next (2027) edition. The 130th edition ran 11 February (Wed, holiday) to 22 March (Sun) 2026, and Kairakuen's official site says the festival is held every year from mid-February to late March. Check the official page (https://mitokoumon.com/ume/) for confirmed 2027 dates.

Where is the festival held?

At two venues: Kairakuen Garden (1-3-3 Tokiwacho, Mito, Ibaraki), one of Japan's Three Great Gardens, and Kodokan (1-6-29 Sannomaru, Mito), one of Japan's largest former domain schools. Kairakuen is the main venue with about 3,000 plum trees of roughly 100 varieties; Kodokan has about 800 trees of roughly 60 varieties (verified on official sites 2026-10-11).

How much is admission?

For the 130th edition (2026), Kairakuen's inner garden cost ¥320 for adults, ¥160 for elementary/junior-high students and ¥160 for visitors aged 70+; Kodokan cost ¥420 / ¥210 / ¥210. The Kobuntei pavilion inside the garden has its own hours and fee; its current admission is ¥230 for adults and ¥120 for children (checked 2026-10-11). Kairakuen's usual free entry for Ibaraki residents and before 9:00 does not apply during the plum festival (verified 2026-10-11). Note that Kairakuen's current official fee table lists ¥500 for adults and ¥250 for children (groups ¥380 / ¥190) for the plum-festival period (checked 2026-10-11). Confirm 2027 prices at https://ibaraki-kairakuen.jp/guide/.

How do I get there, and does the seasonal Kairakuen Station operate?

Take a Kairakuen-bound bus from bay 4 or 6 at the north exit of JR Mito Station (about 20 minutes); Kodokan is about an 8-minute walk from the north exit. By car, Kairakuen is about 20 minutes from Mito IC (Joban Expressway) or Ibarakimachi-Higashi / Mito-Minami IC (Kita-Kanto Expressway), and Kodokan about 30 minutes from Mito IC, but parking near the garden is expected to be crowded during the festival. In 2026 the seasonal JR Kairakuen Station opened 9:45-16:35 on weekends, holidays and selected weekdays during the festival; only outbound (Mito/Iwaki-direction) trains stop there and it has no ticket machines (verified 2026-10-11). Check the official site for 2027 operating days.

What are the highlights, and how do I avoid crowds?

Bloom times are staggered by variety, from 'Tsukikage' (mid-February) to 'Konan-shomu' (mid-March), so, in the organizer's words, the plums can be enjoyed over a long period through early, mid and late-blooming varieties (bloom varies with the weather). In 2026 the garden was lit up on Friday-Sunday and holiday evenings from 13 February to 15 March for 'Kairakuen UME The Lights' (18:00-20:30), the 'Yoru Ume Matsuri' night event was held at Kodokan and the Mito Castle site on 7 March, and open-air tea ceremonies ran on Sundays from 22 February to 15 March (verified on official sites 2026-10-11). Weekday mornings tend to be less crowded.